Protecting and growing the tree canopy isn’t a new discussion in the city of Tampa. Debates over protecting trees and development culminated in a 2019 tree ordinance that everyone could agree to. It was pre-empted by state law a week later. Administrator of Development & Economic Opportunity Abbye Feeley walked through the timeline going back to 1996 through the current code as to the establishment of the tree trust fund.

A lot of this came to a head last year when an agenda item appeared requesting funds from the tree fund for planting trees as part of a water department PIPES project. Why were mitigation funds being used for PIPES? (Progressive Infrastructure Plan to Ensure Sustainability – the multibillion water infrastructure project the city has been undertaking the last 7 years.)

Big uproar.

The reality was it was an internal effort by the Resiliency Office to create cross departmental thinking on how the city could incorporate more tree planting in city projects. The way the Chief Resiliency Officer saw it, the city had all this money sitting in a fund they having a difficult time spending, how could the city effectively get trees in the ground faster? A challenge was issued to other departments.

Generally speaking, PIPES projects just replace sod. The water department is an enterprise fund, meaning their funds aren’t mixed with the general fund. Water rates pay for the water department. From an enterprise fund standpoint, they are just the water company and are looking to do the work the cheapest. Rates were already raised to fund this work. Planting trees where they weren’t isn’t a water department job. But they had a couple of projects in residential neighborhoods that were identified as places trees could be planted and accepted the challenge. Professionals were hired to survey and plan “right tree right place” and the work was completed. They sent the bill to the city and here we are.

So for half a million dollars a couple of neighborhoods got sod and trees. But because it was not all Type 1 & Type 2 trees, and because a tree plan was funded from the trust, all hell broke loose and is still being debated. Fortunately everyone seems to agree there was no sleight of hand and that the water department isn’t trying to pawn off a tree bill to the tree fund.

Roughly $6 million currently sits in the tree trust fund. Funds paid by new development when protected trees are removed. The fund is split into 5 planning districts with funds only to be spent in each district. Current language in the ordinance however allows council to move funds from one district to another for circumstances like hurricane mitigation.

The administration currently has 11 tree plans developed with communities, started under a grant that was lost to the Trump mega bill. Plans with a maximum of 30% Type 3 trees ready to be bid out and brought back with real numbers that would require another vote.

However council is moving in a direction to not paying that 30% for Type 3 trees with tree trust fund dollars and to find the money in the general fund. There were no suggestions where in the general fund they’d find the money but the consensus was it wouldn’t be tree trust fund dollars.

There was also discussion about the Natural Resources Advisory Council, its role and a wish to expand that beyond meeting twice annually to solely consult on the Urban Forestry Master Plan. This council is moving in a direction of a more robust council that meets at least 6 times a year and is more active in how the tree trust fund is spent and where. In 2024 council approved a resolution related to the council but names weren’t brought forth for appointment until earlier this year. In that resolution terms are 3 years. Council’s proposal is to set the terms to 1 year with staggered terms to be appointed by the next mayor and council.

The end result of the workshop was loose consensus of the 5 council members who were in full attendance of the workshop (Council member Luis Viera was absent, Council Chair Alan Clendenin stepped out for a meeting and wasn’t around for some of the discussion and votes). Council member Lynn Hurtak volunteered to organize and work with staff to write a comprehensive motion for next steps. One idea is to expand the Tree-Mendous program (one in which the city plants trees in the right-of-way with residents taking on the cost of watering) to include private property. I was left a little confused however. People all spoke highly of the Tree-Mendous program, talked about the 6 month backlog need to fund more staff, but ignored that 46% of the trees planted through it were Crepe Myrtles. More than 60% were Type 3 trees. If we stopped planting Type 3 trees, there wouldn’t be a backlog and the program wouldn’t seem as successful and you see my point?

So my main take away is there needs to be a more robust discussion about how to limit and diversify the Type 3 trees planted rather than a moratorium on planting any with trust fund dollars. There was some discussion and suggestions from USF and staff to update the tree matrix. Maybe the city needs to expand who they are buying trees from rather than just big farms that only carry a few species. Be willing to pay more for diversity versus checking a box. And as was suggested during the workshop, be proactive in working with TECO when they are moving utilities underground to plant type 1 and 2 trees where they were once limited.

Due to the nature of the grant they started under, the 11 plans that are ready to go are primarily in underserved neighborhoods with a lower percentage of tree canopy. I think council should allow the projects to be put out to bid and see what the real costs are.

Can folks not compromise on 30% Type 3 trees if they are diversified? With everything going on, it would be a shame to not plant trees now. I’m confident in 15-20 years the folks in the neighborhoods the trees planted as part of PIPES are going to think it was a brilliant investment. And the 11 other neighbors who could benefit the most from these trees being in the ground yesterday deserve the same future.

Spend the money now on shovel ready projects to plant trees even if that means moving tree trust funds out of one district to another.

If you want to advocate in the budget and find the money to increase tree funding next fiscal year, great. Re-evaluate mitigation fees? Another good idea. But all of that takes time. Time trees could be growing and providing all of the benefits everyone is fighting for. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Plant the trees.